Practice Quiz

Medical Coding

Category - Coding Guidelines

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Can you specify laterality in the ICD-10-CM codes?
  1. No, you cannot specify laterality with the ICD-10-CM.
  2. Yes, you can specify laterality for some codes. Some codes do not have “bilateral” listed, so in this case the code for “right” and “left” would be assigned.
  3. Yes, you can specify laterality in the ICD-10-CM codes when the side is not mentioned in the medical record.
  4. No, you cannot specify laterality even if it is mentioned in the medical record when using the ICD-10-CM codes.
Explanation
Answer: B - Laterality is specified in the ICD-10-CM codes. Some codes have “right,” “left,” and “bilateral” options listed. Other codes do not have “bilateral” listed as an option, in which case you would use both the “left” and “right” codes individually to stipulate bilateral diagnoses. These codes can only be used if the laterality is mentioned in the medical record.
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